No More Hawaii Winter Baseball League

[Kathie Fry]

Hawaii Winter Baseball League officials announced this week that 2008 would be their last season because their three year contract with Major League Baseball (MLB) ended with the 2008 season and was not renewed. The contract was not renewed because MLB decided to consolidate all of their minor-league off-season operations in Arizona.

The Hawaii Winter Baseball League was active from 1993 through 1997 and it was revived again in 2006 for three years. In 2006 all of the Hawaii Winter Baseball games were played at the University of Hawaii's Les Murakami Stadium or at Hans L'Orange Park in Waipahu. In 2007 all of the Oahu games were played at Hans L'Orange Park while the Les Murakami Stadium was being renovated, the Maui games were played at the Iron Maehara Stadium in Kahului, and the Hawaii Island Games were played at the Francis Wong Stadium in Hilo. In 2008 all of the games were played on Oahu, at either the renovated Les Murakami Stadium or Hans L'Orange Park. The 2008 season ran from September 27 through November 16, 2008. In December of 2008 it was announced that the Hawaii Winter Baseball League was being disbanded.

During the 2006-2008 period the league had four teams: the Waikiki Beach Boys, the Honolulu Sharks, the West Oahu Canefires, and the North Shore Honu. The 1993-1997 teams included the Hilo Stars, the Kauai Emeralds, the Lahaina Whalers, and the Maui Stingrays. Past champions were:

1993 Champions: Hilo Stars
1994 Champions: Kauai Emeralds
1995 Champions: Maui Stingrays
1996 Champions: Maui Stingrays
1997 Champions: Honolulu Sharks
1998-2005: No Hawaii Winter Baseball League
2006 Champions: North Shore Honu
2007 Champions: North Shore Honu
2008 Champions: Waikiki BeachBoys

Too bad the league is shutting down but maybe they'll be back again in a few years. For more information see the official Web site of the Hawaii Winter Baseball League .


- Kathie